Livada: Day One

Ce Faci?

If you ever happen to stop by the Darina Laguna Hotel in Targu Mures, Romania, make sure that you refresh yourself at the restaurant and order the house specialty mixed platter (including 5 different kinds of meat!).  Lief and Jer destroyed a couple of those tonight… yum. Well, in other news, today in the beautiful city of Targu Mures, we were blessed with the opportunity of checking out Livada Orphan Care. Livada is a well established ministry that our team of Romanians and Americans are interested in checking out due to the fact that it is a good case study for what Open Roads may become in Craiova. Today, half of our team went to a day camp for orphans in the middle of the city, while the other half went to a school run by Livada in Ogra, a town just outside of the city that is almost entirely populated by an undereducated gypsy class.

The Orphan Camp in the city was quite an experience. Each team member was split up into a different group, which gave us some good time a part and a chance to make great new friends! We met a lot of amazing orphans that we played soccer with and made crafts together, although we were slightly disappointed in the small amount of the gospel that was integrated into the day. There were quite a few volunteers from Texas and a few other states that we were able to have great conversations about our similar experiences in Romania.

Everyone who went to Ogra, the school for the Gypsies just outside of Targu Mures, agrees that God is doing big things there through the English teachers and interns working there. We spent most of the day playing games and observing how English classes are conducted. Personally I believe that the coolest part of this Ministry is how the staff was able to incorporate the Gospel into pretty much everything they did. The English lessons involved bible verses.  The games taught good morals, like how to interact properly with others, and helped build community among the Gypsies and staff.  It was apparent that Ogra has build a strong community in that village and it seems like they are getting through to many of the kids that attend, which is SUPER exciting.

Tomorrow the two groups are going to swap what sites they are at so that everyone gets to experience both ministries.  We are pumped to have this opportunity and to continue seeing the ways Christ is moving in Romania.  YAYYYYYYYY GOD!

Hugs and Kisses,

Jeremy and Hunter Bashinos

Shout outs:

Lief and Jeremy: Shout out to God for making meat platters. They are what coax us out of our beds in the morning…

Brianna to the Mad Miss leaders: Good Luck! Hope everything is going well!

Michaela to Mom and Dad: Wow! Y’all have a whole week to yourselves! What in the world are you going to do?? Have fun without us!

Jenna to MegaWatt: I’ll be sure to give Irina and Brianna the biggest hugs ever from you as soon as we get back to Craiova :)

Hunter to Malachi: Dude, so bummed we’re not going to see you while your in town. :/

Hunter to Cassidy: It feels weird being in Romania without you.  Also, not hanging out with you everyday kind of sucks :(.  Miss you.

MEAT PLATTER!!!!